Attachment for boats



E. B. KITCHEN AND J. D. PRICE.

ATTACHMENT FOR BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16,1919.

1,331,202. Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

111 Men; 6 0/15.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST B. KITCHEN AND 35.131138 1). PRICE, GIT "NZ-LITE POST, VIRGINIA.

ATTACHMENT FOR BOATS.

To all whom it may concern:

be it known that we, Emrnsr B. KITCHEN and JAMES D. PRICE, citizens of the United States, residing at White Post, in the county of Clarke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Attachments for Boats, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide simple means which may be applied to any boat and which will operate efficiently to prevent capsizing of the same. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter fully described, the novel features being subsequently particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is an elevation of the device in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the attachment removed from the boat.

The boat 1 may be of any type and in itself forms no part of the invention. To the bottom of the boat in the central longitudinal plane of the same and preferably at the transverse center thereof, we secure brackets 2 which are spaced apart and to which is pivotally or hingedly secured a bail or frame 3 adapted to swing longitudinally of the boat and to which is secured a bar or rod 4.- which, when the device is in use, will depend from the boat and is equipped at its lower end with a weight 5. The upper end of the bar or rod 4: will be formed integral with or otherwise rigidly united with the frame or bail 3 and to the upper end of the said bar or rod or at the point of junction of the same and the bail or frame a link 6 is pivotally attached. The forward end of the link 6 is pivotally connected with a plunger rod 7 which is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in a bracket or housing 8 which is secured longitudinally to the bottom of the boat, as shown. The piston or plunger rod 7 should be of such length that its ends will be sup ported by the ends of the bracket or housing 8 in all positions of the rod and between the ends of said housing a stop collar or disk 9 is secured to the rod. Between the said stop 9 and the after end of the hous ing a spring 10 is coiled around the rod and tends by its expansion to hold the piston rod normally in its forward position so that it will act in conjunction with the weight 5 Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 16, 1919.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Serial No. 311,225.

to hold the rod in a pendent position. To the lower portion of the rod or bar 1-, a cable or chain 11 is secured and this flexible connection extends up to the stern of the boat and is passed over one or more guide pulleys 12, the end of the said connection being adapted to be wrapped around a cleat 13 on the boat or otherwise secured as will be readily understood.

When the boat is not in use and is hung upon the davits of a vessel, the pendent bar will be drawn up as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and secured in said position so that the weight will not interfere in any way with the motion of the boat and will not be in the way of persons working or passing near the boat. Vhen the boat is to be used, it may be launched in the usual manner and after it reaches the water the cable or chain 11 will be released whereupon the weight 5 and the spring 10 will together immediately swing the rod 4 to the pendent position shown in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. l. The rod or bar 4 will obviously be of considerable length and the weight will hold. the same in proper position below the boat. As the boat advances through the water any oscillation of the same as it rides through or upon the waves will cause an amplified oscillation of the weight 5 so that the said weight will act in opposition to the swinging or swaying of the boat and will tend to keep the same upon an even keel thereby preventing capsizing.

Our device is exceedingly simple in the construction and arrangement of its parts. It may be readily applied to any boat and will require no attention upon the part of the cr-w or passengers and will be found highly eflicient for the purpose for which it is designed. \Vhen the boat is to be beached 0r drawn up on the davits, the pendent bar with its weight may be Very quickly and easily drawn up to the inoperative position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 by pulling upon the flexible connection 11 and when the boat is to be used, the only attention needed is the releasing of the flexible connection whereupon the weight and the spring will instantly move the parts to the operative position. The spring counteracts any tendency of the pendulum to swing aft as the boat moves forward. As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the weight 5 is preferably triangular so that it will present an edge to the water to cut through the same and, at

, lum whereby the spring will normally draw the pendulum forward, and means for drawing the pendulum rearward and upward and securing it in a raised position.

2. An attachment for boats comprising a pendulumhinged to the bottom of the boat for oscillation longitudinally thereof, a housing in advance of the pendulum on the bottom of the boat, a piston rod slidably mounted in and extending through said housing, a link connecting the rear end of the piston rod with the pendulum, a spring within the housing actingon the piston rod to draw the same forward, and a flexible connection secured to the lower portion of the pendulum and extending up to the stern of the boat.

3. An attachment for boats comprising a pendulum mounted upon the bottom of the boat, a spring mounted upon the bottom of the boat at one side of the pendulum, connections between the spring and the pendulum whereby the spring will normally draw the pendulum to operative position, and means for drawing the pendulum upwardly and securing it in a raised position. 7

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures. I p

ERNEST B. KITCHEN. [L. s] JAMES D. PRICE. [L.S.] 

